Clean or Dirty 110BA?

[cavjock97]

Since this is the only Savage I own, I am curious to know what the experts think. Do your Savage barrels shoot better clean or dirty? I seem to have the best accuracy after about 5 shots on a clean barrel, but then accuracy seems to degrade after about 20-25 shots. Am I cleaning too much or too little? I typically run a brush and a jag patch through after each session of about 30-50 rounds. Should I be cleaning the copper out more? This barrel does seem a little rougher than the Kreigers and Bartleins that I have.

This gun is a .338LM. I am shooting 300 Berger Hybrids over 92 grains of Retumbo @ 2760 FPS.

Sorry if this has been covered before.

Thanks in advance.

Cavjock97

[eddiesindian]

Id always cleaned my barrel for the sole purpose of removing powder fouling every 25 or so rds...I got a wild hair and decided to use a dedicated copper removing solvent....bad idea.....accuracy and consitancy vanished.
Ive since gone back to dealing with removal of powder fowling only. Ill clean after about 30 or so rds.
This component crisis has done me a favor.....I shoot less....and save money.

[psharon97]

I clean mine when accuracy drops off.

[foxx]

I agree with both Eddie and psharon...

I no longer remove copper fouling. Mine tend to shoot better after 5-10 rounds, then need powder residue removed after 25 rounds, some almost never.

Go figure.

[CharlieNC]

For my Savage barrels. Don't know how often I NEED to clean my 223, but knock the fouling out with Hoppe#9 every 100-150 rounds just for good measure even accuracy has never been anything but outstanding. On the other hand the 308 needs a good copper cleaning every 50 or so; this might also be related to Varget vs RL15, which shoots very dirty in the 308.

[missed]

I clean mine when accuracy drops off.

Same here.

I just run a wet patch, dry patch and patch with a couple drops of the pro shot cleaner lube down the bore just to protect the bore after shooting. I think I have 500 rounds down the 308 since the last time it had copper solvent in it.

[goinssr]

Seems like every gun has its own personality and quirks. Some may require a thorough cleaning after just a few rounds and others just get mad if you clean them at all. Hard to say collectively if Savage rifles (or any brand for that manner) shoot well clean or dirty.

[cavjock97]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I'll do a little experimenting with cleaning regimen and see what happens.

Thanks,

Cavjock97

[eddiesindian]

I get kinda frustrated when I [pull up to the line knowing full and wel that I havent cleaned the barrel as often as "I think" Id like but that frustration goes away asap when i see my Savage hitting objectives Im aiming at anywhere from 100 out to 1K with the 1st shot....course..it doesnt happen all the time, but when it does?......you,d swear i just won the lotto from the look on my face...ololol